Friday, August 20, 2010

Amish Proverbs: Words of Wisdom from the Simple Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher

(For review from Revell)

Synopsis:

If you want to know a people," says Suzanne Woods Fisher, "know their proverbs." These small, concentrated packages of insight allow outsiders to peek into a fascinating closed community. In Amish Proverbs, Fisher collects more than 200 proverbs to uncover the rich heritage, folklore, faith, values, history, and essence of the Amish people. These proverbs serve as teaching tools and maxims for right living for the Amish and can also inform the lives of anyone who seeks peace and simplicity in life.

Ranging from the simple to the profound, from the serious to the humorous, these sayings will stick with readers through life's joys and sorrows. The perfect gift for any occasion, Amish Proverbs is sure to become an instant classic.

Thoughts:

Suzanne Woods Fisher has compiled a set of proverbs from the Amish people. There are several proverbs in this book that make a lot of sense, but I have a favorite. I have been a Christian for probably 25 years, more than half my life, so my proverb is one about faith. Here is an excerpt from Suzanne's book about the faith of the Amish. My favorite proverb is at the end.

Excerpt:

'Most Amish believe the adage that, "The cornerstone of faith is truth, not tolerance." They take the Scripture literally and don't rationalize or justify behaviors that the Bible labels as sin. Evil is evil, and the source of evil is the devil, from whom they have a healthy respect. Traditional sayings make the devil sound active and nearly ever present.

"Speak of the devil and you'll hear the flop of his wings."

"You need not call the devil, he'll come without calling."

And no one is immune to temptation: "Even a saint is tempted by an open door."

But the focus of the Amish life is not solely on avoiding temptation. It is on pleasing God, conforming to his will, living a faithful life, and hoping for an eternity in his presence. After all, to their way of thinking, "The best way to escape evil is to pursue good."

My favorite proverb is this beautiful gift book is: "Bibles that are coming apart usually belong to people who are not." I have an old tattered Bible, so this quote is very fitting for me. One of my own family proverbs is a tried and true standard that a lot of people have heard, but it was always a big one for us, because we are stubborn bunch who tend to have a lot to say to one another on just about any subject. My family proverb is: "If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen."

Amish Proverbs is available Now from at your favorite bookseller, from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

I am giving this beautiful gift book 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

I will be having a giveaway for one copy of Suzanne Woods Fisher's book, Amish Proverbs. Check back later today for the giveaway details. What's your favorite family proverb? If you can tell me... you could win!

Here is some additional information about Suzanne Woods Fisher.

Suzanne Woods Fisher's interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, W. D. Benedict, who was raised in the Dunkard Brethren Church in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Benedict eventually became publisher of Christianity Today magazine. Suzanne's work has appeared in many magazines. She has contributed to several nonfiction books and is the author of Amish Peace and the novel The Choice.

Suzanne Woods Fisher is giving away a Kindle loaded with all three of her books, The Choice and Amish Peace. Here are the details from Suzanne's website.

Suzanne's Amish Proverbs just hit the shelves. To celebrate she's giving away a KINDLE and throwing a party! Let the fun begin. See below for info and links.

She’ll be announcing the winner of the Simple Wisdom KINDLE Giveaway, chatting with readers, and giving away copies of Amish Proverbs and The Choice! Be sure to join us on Wednesday , September 1st at 8PM EST at Suzanne’s Author Page

Giveaway: Darkness Raging

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